The suspect, Keam Piseth Narita, 23, allegedly drove her car into a crowd of motorbikes, cyclists and pedestrians outside the Ministry of Interior.

Three children were killed, six people were seriously injured and two others were slightly injured as a result of the crash, officials said.

Before the crash, Narita allegedly led police on a high-speed chase after she hit a motorbike, municipal traffic police chief Pen Khun said.

On Sunday, the Penh Municipal Court charged Narita with "intentional driving causing death and serious injury." The maximum penalty for a fatal hit-and-run is up to three years in jail and a fine of between two and $1,500 if convicted.

Hit-and-run crashes account for about 50 percent of road fatalities in Cambodia, Handicap International said.

The trend is rising, officials say, because many drivers fear witnesses will resort to a form of "citizen justice."

"Drivers who are involved in a crash are afraid that if they stop that people will hit them or kill them. So most drivers try to run away in order to save their own lives," said Road safety program manager Ear Chariya.

He said witnesses often turned to mob violence because they do not trust that authorities will deliver justice.

United Press International is a leading provider of news, photos and information to millions of readers around the globe via UPI.com and its licensing services.

With a history of reliable reporting dating back to 1907, today's UPI is a credible source for the most important stories of the day, continually updated - a one-stop site for U.S. and world news, as well as entertainment, trends, science, health and stunning photography. UPI also provides insightful reports on key topics of geopolitical importance, including energy and security.

A Spanish version of the site reaches millions of readers in Latin America and beyond.

UPI was founded in 1907 by E.W. Scripps as the United Press (UP). It became known as UPI after a merger with the International News Service in 1958, which was founded in 1909 by William Randolph Hearst. Today, UPI is owned by News World Communications.